***
The Loki had been in the camp for some time and though they were careful not to show it, their unease had grown since their initial arrival. Being the Elementals meant that they understood the balance of nature, and what they saw as they walked within their camp over the past months was unnatural.
Men turning at will to giant fearsome Wolves, the Orochi chained and restrained. And of course there was the small matter of people becoming Vendigo, evil spirited creatures with a craving for hideous acts. The Vendigo had recently caught one of the Marauders asleep at his watch; they had made an example of him, by simply flaying him alive. Since then no one had been caught asleep at their watch. What they did to deserters was even worse. There was no torture their cruel minds could not conceive of.
The Loki’s distaste of what the Jin had created had grown from silent murmurings that occurred when they had first arrived at the camp to simmering contempt.
They were all highly intelligent and two of them had even been Princes in their own lands, before the Lord of the Mandrake had come to them and offered them so much more. They were huddled together in the quiet of their tent discussing the situation and voicing their opinions.
“Listen Ragnor to even suggest it to the Jin would be suicide if you cannot think of yourself then think of us,” said Cynon who had been stating her argument all morning. “He would not hesitate in killing us all. You have noticed how his behaviour has become more inflexible, he readily angers more each day. I believe he underestimated what it would take to control the Orochi. In trying to tame such a creature he is losing his mind.”
“You are right who knows what he is capable of in the state he’s in,” said Ragnor. “And we’ve all lost people we loved in his campaigns when he took control of the Central Kingdoms. But when he gave me this power over the earth, I did not realise that to make me a willing participant, he would hold my family hostage. And I would have thought you would be less than acquiescent since he also holds hostage your entire village.”
Cynon looked at him aghast, “We don’t use the word hostage you know that, they are simply under the protection of the Empire.”
“You have to be joking when you say such a thing; either that or you are under some enchantment if you actually believe that the Warriors left in your village are there for their protection. Protection from what, your village is so far away, tell me, what enemy would or could actually threaten it. I’m afraid we have all been deceived and only now in the quiet of this tent can we speak openly about it. And that is because we have grown to trust each other and that's not because of what we stand to gain from one another, but because of what we stand to lose."
Cynon had been sitting uncomfortably listening to Ragnor, since they had been in the camp they had all been on rationed fare. Cynon had only this morning been able to tighten her belt another notch. There was nothing quite like hunger to make everyone become restless. What was even worse, the Finns were not suffering the hardships that initially they were told they would.
The Lord of the Mandrake had promised them a speedier victory than this. Perhaps the intelligence purporting to the Finns; that they were close to collapse, had been exaggerated.
Cynon thought if there had been false information then she was sure the person who had supplied that information had probably already met an unfortunate end. Such was the very simple philosophy of their leader, and this was even though the direst consequence of any war had always been confusion, and a lack of authenticity.
Achil & The Rise Of The Mandrake Page 12